Musical instrument



Nov. 13, 1928. Y 1,691,826

0. A. ROSS MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 1927 Patented Nov. 13,1928.

; UNITE Dz STATES OSCAR AJROSS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Application filed march 4, 1927. Serial 172,755.

This invention relates to musical instruments and more particularly to that, class Whichemploys vibrating reeds'for producing imitations of the human singing voice;

Musical tones resembling the human voice has been iroducedby rubbing the rosined bow of horse hair strings across the backedge of a 'carpenters saw. This operation requires a great physical effort on the part of the operator and his appearance during the rendering of the music is very awkward. I f I One object of this invention is to furnish a musical instrument which will rend er pleasing musical tones resembling thehimian voice Without requiring any greatphysical eiiort on the part of the operator of the instrument.

Another object is to furnish a musical in-.

strument. capable of producing tones similar to the human singing voice, but of a quality more adaptable for reception and broadcasting by radio transmission.

Another ob ectis to produce a niusicalin strument of pronounced characteristics sufi'icient in themselves without accompaniment to command the respectful attention of an audience in the same manner as a high salaried artist, however being so simple in operation that anyperson having a good musicalear may operate the instrument efiiciently after a comparativelyshort period of instruction.

Other objectsand advantages will appear as the description ofthe invention progresses and the novel features of the"inventionwill 2e pointed out in the appended cla ms. I

The invention consists'of the novel con- I struction and arrangement of parts herein after described, delineated in the accompanying drawing and particularly pointed out in that portion of theinstrument wherein patentable novelty is'claimed for certain and peculiar features of the device, it being understood-that, within the scope ogt what hereinafter thus is claimed, divers changes in the form, proportions. size and minor details of of reference, designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which 1+ Figure 1, 1s a side elevat onal view of the preferred form of the inventiontaken on line AA of Fig.2, and F ig. 2, is a topelev-ational view of the same, instrument taken on line B'-B of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3, is a sectional view taken on line C C of Fig. 1.

Suitably secured to base 1, and braced by brackets 22, is standard 3, and to which is.

secured dial 4 pivotally supporting shaft 5, one end of which carriespointer 6, and the other pinion 7 meshing with rack 8 attached to rod9 passing through bearing 9, and normally impinging on extensionlO, of lever 11 by action of spring 12.-

Also attached to standard 3, by screws- Iii-13, is stationary member 14, to which is hinged, by pin 15, the movable member 16 havingslot 17 ,into which bolts 18 4.8 securely clamp one end of'vibrating reed, or blade 19. the other end being likewise clamped in slot 20 of the member 21 pivotally supported v pin22.

Also secured to base 1, by bolts 25.25, is the bearingbracket 26 supporting @1 27, pivto the upper end of the link member 23 by otally mounted on which are the lower endsof the link member 23, and the fulcrum 28 of lever 11. Lever 11 also has extremity or extension 29, terminating in foot, or hand operating pad 30, also slot 31 in which is adjust ably secured, by bolt 32a11d nut 33, the lower end of ribbon, or flexible member 34, the upper end of which passes through. pin 35 pivoted in member 21, and is adjusted therewith by nut 36. i i

Lever 11 also has extension 38 supporting one end of sprinr 39, the tension of which may be adjusted by screw 40 and lock nut 41. The other end of spring 39 impinges in the recess ofboss24 of link member 23.

Lever 11 also has attached thereto adiustingscrew 42 and lock nut 43.screw-it2 impinging on plate 1.4. secured to base 1, said plate acting as thestop for screw 12, and normal adjustment of lever 11.

Also secured to base 1, bracket 55, having pin 56 pivotallv mounted on which, are levers 57 577having'slots'58 58 midwvay and in which operate sleeves 5959 also adjustably secured in slot31 and clampedto extension 29- byrbolt .60 and nut 61. Levers 5757 also have slots 6262 for adjustably securing counter-weights 63 -63, secured to levers 57 57 bvbolt 64, nut 65 and spacer sleeve 66. Levers 57 .57 may have the upper ends terse minated in the form of a handle as '68,;and the instrument operated thereby; A spring as 67:

may be interposed between base 1 and levers 57-57 to assist, or entirely replace said weights.

Also secured to standard 3, is bracket 46' supporting motor 47, to the shaft of which is secured crank i8 pivotally supporting one end of rod 4&9 having turnbuckle 50, and the other end of which is suitably secured to fiex ible member 3i.

The operation of the improved musical instrument is as follows: a violin, cello, or other rosined bow, as, 52 having preferably rosined horse hair, is drawn across the edge 530i the reed 19 causing it to vibrate and produce a musical sound resembling the human voice. However before such a tone can be produced in this manner, the spring 39 must impinge against link member and produce a tension in reed 19, the pitch of the tone produced being dependent largely on this tension, much in the same manner as the pitch of a tone of a piano or other musical instrument string, is largely dependent upon the tension placed between its ends. The normal tension of spring 39 is preferably adjusted such that the tone produced with lever 11 in normal position will be C an octave below what is known as middle C of a piano and corresponding to approximately vibrations per minute. This tone will be produced with the parts as normally shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the'accompanying drawing.

To produce an ascending musical scale from the lowest tone, the pedal is depressed until extension 10 has caused rod 9 and rack 8, to rotate gear 7 and-pointer 6 to the following note (D) on the dial The rosined bow is now drawn across the edge 53 at the D posi tion and a musical tone of D pitch will be produced, this tone resembling in quality the human voice.

For each further ascending tones, pedal 30 is further depressed to the pointer indication of each succeeding note and the bow drawn across edge 53 as hereintotore. described. Ob viously selected tones may be produced, these being in the order of some musical composition as may be selected by the operator.

Depression of pedal 30 from line X to line Y, in addition to actuating pointer 6, as hereinbe'fore described, also compresses spring 39, thereby producing greater tension on reed 19 and the characteristics of spring 39 is such that, as lever 11 is moved from the normal position to the extreme position line Y, and at which time the pointer 6 will be indicating high G, the increase of compression will be such that proper tension of reed 19 is produced whereby the desired tone will be produced.

Depression of pedal 30 also causes flexible member 34 to be drawn downward thereby causing the outer end 21 of member 21 to be drawn downward from line V to line Z thereby producing a. bow or deflection of reed 19 this motion in turn causing a IEClI 'H'OCHtlOII of member 21 and reed 19 with a resulting vibrato of the tone produced by reed 19, thisvibrato being substantially synchronous with the reciprocation of the flexible member 34.

Adjusting screw 4-2 and nut 43 serve to adjust for the lowest, or normal tone position of the instrument.

The spacing of the lines indicating the pitch tones on dial 4; and reed 19, is determined by test of the instrument for each tone required, and said spacing is ordinarily of a varied distance and not equidistant as shown.

Counter-weights 63-63 are preferably of such weight, that in normal position, (line T), their effect on extension 29 through the fulcrum formed by bolt 60, is such, that, it nearly neutralizes the effect of spring 39, through extension 38 to seat lever 11 onto plate 4 1. As the extension 2-9 is lowered to line Y, the levers 57-57 and counter weights 63 63 move to line U. It will be apparent that as levers 5T57 move to the U position the counter weighting leverage increases producing increased torque on extension 29. This increase of torque is preferably such that it compensates for the increased pressure and resulting torque produced by spring 39 it is compressed by depression of pedal 30 resulting in lowering of extension 29. By this arrangement very little effort is'required to depress pedal 30, or handle 68 to a position for any tone which may be selected on dial 4. An operator, or musician may therefore operate the instrument for a considerable period of time without becoming fatigued. V

he mechanism, with the exception of the operating handles 30 and 68 arc-enclosed in an ornamental case not shown, preferably of suitable resonating material which enriches and mellows the tones produced by the instrument as reed 19 vibrates.

\Vhat I claimis 1* 1. A bowed musical. instrument comprising a tone producing reed, means for supporting each end thereof whereby the unsupported portion thereoi is arranged to be tensioncd and means affecting the supporting means for varying the degree of tension to produce varying pitch tones as the rosined bow is drawn across the tensioned portion of the reed.

A bowed musical instrument comprising a tone producing reed, means for supporting each end thereof whereby the unsupported portion thereof is arranged to be deflected fromits normal osition and means affectin r 7 b tbesupporting means for varying the degree of (lQf'lQCtlOll to'produ'ce varying pitch tones as the rosined bow isidrawn' across the unsupported portion'of thereed.

, 3. A bowed musical instrument comprising a tone producing reed, means for supporting each end thereof whereby the, unsupported portion thereof is arranged to be jointly tensioned u and deflected, means affecting the supporting means for varying the degree of tension and deflection whereby varied pitch toncsmaybc produced'as' the bow is drawn across the unsupported portion of the iced.

4.- A bowed musical instrumentcomprising a tone producing reed, .means for supporting each end thereof whereby the unsupported 'portion thereof is arranged tobertensioned,

means affecting thesupporting means for varying the degree of the tension whereby varying pitch tones are, produced as the rosined bow is drawn across the unsupported 7 portion, and means for producing a vibration of the reed for producing a vibrato effect of the tone independently of tllQfJOIlGfVlbI'zlblOn produced by drawing the bow across the unsupported portion of the reed.

5. A bowed nmsical instrument comprising, a tone producing reed, means for supporting the reed by each endhthereof, and

means affecting thesupporting meansfor variably deflecting the reed betweenvthe ends thereof to'produce different pitch tones as the bow is drawn across the deflected portion of thereedQ- 6. A bowed musical instrument comprising, a'tone.--producin'g reedfniean's for sup- 8. A bowed musical instrumentcomprisii'ig, a tone producing reed, means for supporting the reed by each end thereof, means affecting the supporting means for variably deflecting the reed between the ends thereof to produce different pitch tones as the bow is drawn across the d'efiectedportion of the reed and means affecting the supporting means for vibrating the reed independently ofthe tone vibrations produced by the bow whereby a vibrato effect of thetone vibration is produced. v v

is produced thereby.

9. A-bowed musical instrument comprising,:a tone producing reed, means for supporting the reed by each endthercof, means affecting the supporting means for tensioning the reed along itslongitudinal axis to produce different pitch tones as the bow is drawn across the tensioned portion of the reed and means affecting the supporting means for vibrating the reed independently of the tone vibrations produced by the bow whereby a vibrato effect of the tone vibration is produced. I a a l0. Abowed musical instrument comprising, a tone producing reed, means for supporting the reed by each end thereof, means for affecting the supporting means for vari ably deflecting the reed between the ends thereof to produce different pitch tones as the bow isdrawn across the deflected portion of the reed, and means actuated by the variable deflecting means for indicating the pitch ottone produced bythe reed as atone is produced thereby. 1

"11. A bowed musical instrument comprising, a tone producing reed, means for sup porting the reed by each end thereof, means affecting the supporting means for variably tensioning the reed along its longitudinal axis to produce different pitch tones as the bow is drawn acrossthe tensioned portion 'ofthe reed, and means actuated by the variable ten sioning means for indicating the pitch ofthe tone produced by the reed as a tone 12. A bowed musical instrument comprising, a toneproduclng reed, means for supporting the reed by eachend thereof, means affecting the supporting means for jointly variably deflecting and variably tensioning the reed to produce different pitch tones as the bow is drawn across'the unsupported portion of the reedfand means affected by the joint means for indicatingthe pitch of the 'tone'produced by, the reed as atone-is produced thereby. r v

13; A bowed musical instrument comprising, a tone producing reed, means for sup porting the reed by each end thereof, means affecting the supporting means for jointly variably deflecting and variably tensioning the reed to produce different pitch tones as the bow is drawn across the unsupported portion of the reed, means affected by the joint 7 means for indicating the pitch of? the tone produced by the reed as a tone is produced thereby, and manually operated means for actuating the joint means. A

14. A bowed musical instrument comprising, a substantially flat tone producing reed, means for supporting the reed by each end thereof whereby the unsupported portion thereof is arranged to be tensioned, means affecting the supporting means for varying the degree of tension thereof whereby varying pitch tones are produced as the rosined bow is f" Quan a, s l n drawn across the unsupported portion, and manually operated means for actuating the tension varying means.

15. A bowed musical instrument comprising, a substantially flat tone producing reed, means for supporting the reed by each end thereof whereby the unsupported portion thereof is deflected from its normal position, means for affecting the supporting means for varying the degree of deflection to produce varyingpitch musical tones as the rosined bow is drawn across the unsupported portion, and manually operated means for actuating the deflection varying means.

16. Abowed musical instrument comprising, a substantially flat tone producing reed, means for supporting the reed by each end thereof whereby the unsupported portion thereof is arranged to be jointly tensioned and deflected, means affecting the supporting means for varying the degree of tension and deflection whereby variedpitchtones are produced as the bow is drawn across the unsupported portion, and manually operated means for actuating the joint means.

17. A bowed musical instrument comprising, a substantially flat tone producing reed, means for supporting the reed byeach end thereof whereby the unsupported portion thereof is arranged to be jointly tensioned and deflected, meansattecting the supporting means for varying the degree of tension and deflection whereby varied pitch tones are produced as the bow is drawn across the unsupported portion of the reed, means for affecting the supporting means whereby a vibration of the reed is produced independently of the tone vibration to produce a vibrato effect of the tone. and manually operated means for actuating the joint means.

18. A bowed musical instrument comprising. a substantially flat tone producing reed, means for supporting the reed by each end thereof whereby the unsupported portion thereof is arranged to be jointly tensioned and deflected, means affecting the supporting means for varying the degree of tension and deflection whereby varied pitch tone are produced as the bow is drawn across the unsupported portion, means for affecting the supporting means whereby a vibration of the reed'is produced independently of the tone vibration to produce a vibrato effect thereof, means for indicating the pitch of the tone produced, and manually operated means for actuating the joint means and the indicating means.

19. A bowed musical instrument comprising,a tone producing reed, means for supporting the reed by each end thereof, means affecting the supporting means for variably deflecting the unsupported portion of the reed between the ends thereof to produce varied pitch tones as the bow is drawn across the unsupported portion and means for adjusting the normal defiectedposition of the reed.

20. A bowed musical instrument comprising, a. tone producing reed, means for supporting the reed byeach end thereof, means affecting the supporting means for variably tensioning the unsupported portion of the reed to produce varied pitch tones as the bow is drawn across the unsupported portion and means for adjusting the normal tension of the unsupported portion.

21. A bowed musical instrument comprising, a tone producing reed, means for supporting the reed by each end thereof means affecting the supporting means for variably tensioning and variably deflecting the unsupported portion of the reed to produce different pitch tones as the bow is drawn across the unsupported port-ion, means for adjusting the normal tension of the unsupported portion, and means for adjusting the normal deflect-ion independently of the normal tension adjusting means.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 25th day of February, A. D. 1927.

OSCAR A. ROSS.

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